PREMONITION — ** — Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon, Amber Valletta; rated PG-13 (violence, profanity, drugs, brief gore).
In retrospect, we should have seen "Premonition" coming.
Sandra Bullock, the bubbly and likable star of such smash-hit comedies as "While You Were Sleeping" and "Miss Congeniality," seems to be taking every "serious" movie project that comes along in an effort to distance herself from light comedy.
Unfortunately, that's also led her to take on some pretty sketchy films, including the lead role in this gimmicky and nearly suspense-free fantasy/thriller.
Bullock stars as Linda Hanson, a happily married mother of two who appears to be living a week of her life in some kind of strange, scrambled, mixed-up order.
The week begins on the day she learns that her husband Jim (Julian McMahon) has just died in an automobile accident. Linda is in shock over the horrible news, but that's nothing compared to her surprise the next morning when she awakens to find him alive and well. Then, the next day, he's once again dead and gone.
Gradually, it dawns on her that her days are occurring randomly and that there might be a chance that she can prevent Jim's death. That is, if she can ever figure out which particular day she's living in.
There are superficial similarities between this film and the vastly superior "Groundhog Day," which at least had the smarts to be a comedy. This one becomes so ludicrous that it becomes unintentional comedy.
German filmmaker Mennan Yapo's none-too-subtle direction certainly doesn't help. And Bullock and her co-stars don't seem particularly excited by this material either. She and McMahon (TV's "Nip/Tuck") have absolutely no chemistry, and the script doesn't afford talented actresses Kate Nelligan and Nia Long much to do in supporting roles. (However, spooky-looking Swedish actor Peter Stormare, of TV's "Prison Break," still manages to register as creepy, despite limited screen time.)
"Premonition" is rated PG-13 for some vehicular violence and mayhem (as well as a childhood accident), scattered profanity (including one use of the so-called "R-rated" curse word), drug content (use and references to anti-depressant drugs), and brief gore. Running time: 97 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com